Premier League
Man CityManchester City2BrentfordBrentford0

Man City 2-0 Brentford: Goals in each half enough as City swat aside brave Bees

By Simon StoneBBC Sport at Etihad Stadium
Riyad Mahrez
Mahrez scored his seventh Premier League goal this season

Pep Guardiola said Manchester City "are not the best in the world" despite them extending their lead at the top of the Premier League to 12 points following victory over Brentford.

Riyad Mahrez scored his eighth goal in seven games as they moved further away from second-placed Liverpool, who play Leicester on Thursday.

But Guardiola said he "does not care" for "stupid things" like praising his side for being better than the rest.

"In so many ways I'm impressed with [the players'] attitude," he added. "They still have the desire in every game to do their jobs.

Guardiola hails Cancelo & Stones' movement in 'important win'

"Normally they are being complimented, being praised - 'you are the best team in the world' - these stupid things. You can be confused, but we are still normal.

"We are not the best team in the world. The best team in the world is Chelsea, the best team is Palmeiras. We are not the best and I don't care."

European champions Chelsea, who currently sit third in the table, play Brazilian side Palmeiras in the Club World Cup Final on Saturday.

That is a trophy Manchester City have never competed for because they have not won the Champions League in order to qualify.

City were deserved winners against Brentford despite a tough opening. Mads Roerslev's rash tackle on Raheem Sterling then presented Mahrez with the opportunity to score and he sent David Raya the wrong way from the penalty spot.

Brentford made two big mistakes against Man City - Frank

Kevin de Bruyne doubled City's lead after 69 minutes when he finished off the rebound after Raya had rolled the ball straight to Sterling on the edge of the area, then denied the England man with a save he could not hold.

For Brentford, who did not include new signing Christian Eriksen even though the Dane started training with them this week after signing a six-month contract, the harsh realities of life in the top flight are beginning to become evident.

Thomas Frank's men have now lost six in a row in all competitions for the first time since 2006. Then, Oldham and Cheltenham were among the teams who beat them when they were in League One.

Now it's Liverpool, Manchester United and defending champions City.

Stones slots in at right-back

Guardiola has sprung so many selection surprises down the years, nothing is too much of a shock.

This time it was naming three central defenders and no orthodox right-back, even though England's Kyle Walker was on the bench.

John Stones got the job. While it did seem for a while as though his role was to alternate between a back four and a three-man central defence, depending upon whether City had the ball or not, it became apparent it was more technical than that.

He could be wide on the right touchline, further inside or threatening the box, mirroring what Joao Cancelo was doing on the other side.

Stones also curled crosses in from roughly the same position De Bruyne has earned such praise for doing so.

City's fluidity was so far removed from the old-school English tactics of the past and when another defender, Aymeric Laporte, controlled the ball on his chest and rolled a shot narrowly wide of the far post, it felt like a throwback to 'Total Football' and the Netherlands' 1970s golden era under coach Rinus Michels.

Cancelo flashed a shot over just after half-time and then went on a slalom-like journey though the Brentford box before firing straight at Raya.

It merely underlined the flexible nature of a City side that ended with £100m man Jack Grealish at centre-forward after coming off the bench.

The Football News Show: Should Brentford be worried after six straight defeats?

Stumbling Brentford

Brentford limited City to a single shot in the first half hour, which was testament to their work-rate.

Had Rico Henry taken the clear chance to equalise he was presented with just before the break, the overall outcome might have been different.

But, despite the industry of Frank Onyeka in midfield and speed of Sergi Canos out wide, Brentford lack the class to compete against opposition like this.

Eriksen has that, clearly, and also the belief he can return to something like his old self.

As the defeats mount up and key home games against Crystal Palace and Newcastle loom before the end of the month, the Bees are certainly in need of a lift.

Player of the match

De BruyneKevin De Bruyne

with an average of 7.17

Manchester City

  1. Squad number17Player nameDe Bruyne
    Average rating

    7.17

  2. Squad number27Player nameJoão Cancelo
    Average rating

    7.01

  3. Squad number8Player nameGündogan
    Average rating

    6.78

  4. Squad number26Player nameMahrez
    Average rating

    6.78

  5. Squad number20Player nameBernardo Silva
    Average rating

    6.65

  6. Squad number47Player nameFoden
    Average rating

    6.57

  7. Squad number31Player nameEderson
    Average rating

    6.51

  8. Squad number3Player nameRúben Dias
    Average rating

    6.47

  9. Squad number5Player nameStones
    Average rating

    6.39

  10. Squad number14Player nameLaporte
    Average rating

    6.34

  11. Squad number16Player nameRodri
    Average rating

    6.30

  12. Squad number10Player nameGrealish
    Average rating

    6.23

  13. Squad number7Player nameSterling
    Average rating

    5.99

Brentford

  1. Squad number6Player nameNørgaard
    Average rating

    6.30

  2. Squad number19Player nameMbeumo
    Average rating

    6.23

  3. Squad number1Player nameRaya
    Average rating

    6.22

  4. Squad number3Player nameHenry
    Average rating

    6.20

  5. Squad number5Player namePinnock
    Average rating

    6.19

  6. Squad number8Player nameJensen
    Average rating

    6.19

  7. Squad number20Player nameAjer
    Average rating

    6.17

  8. Squad number18Player nameJansson
    Average rating

    6.12

  9. Squad number10Player nameDasilva
    Average rating

    6.12

  10. Squad number14Player nameGhoddos
    Average rating

    6.09

  11. Squad number15Player nameOnyeka
    Average rating

    6.03

  12. Squad number7Player nameCanós
    Average rating

    6.02

  13. Squad number30Player nameRoerslev
    Average rating

    5.92

  14. Squad number11Player nameWissa
    Average rating

    5.20

Line-ups

Man City

Formation 4-3-3

  • 31Ederson
  • 5Stones
  • 3Rúben Dias
  • 14Laporte
  • 27Cancelo
  • 17De Bruyne
  • 16Rodri
  • 20Bernardo Silva
  • 26MahrezSubstituted forGrealishat 67'minutes
  • 47FodenSubstituted forGündoganat 71'minutes
  • 7Sterling

Substitutes

  • 2Walker
  • 6Aké
  • 8Gündogan
  • 10Grealish
  • 11Zinchenko
  • 13Steffen
  • 25Fernandinho
  • 48Delap
  • 87McAtee

Brentford

Formation 3-5-2

  • 1Raya
  • 20Ajer
  • 18Jansson
  • 5Pinnock
  • 30Roerslev
  • 15OnyekaSubstituted forWissaat 70'minutes
  • 6Nørgaard
  • 8Jensen
  • 3Henry
  • 7CanósSubstituted forDasilvaat 62'minutes
  • 14GhoddosSubstituted forMbeumoat 62'minutes

Substitutes

  • 10Dasilva
  • 11Wissa
  • 19Mbeumo
  • 26Baptiste
  • 29Bech Sørensen
  • 36Stevens
  • 40Fernández
  • 49Lössl
Referee:
Darren England
Attendance:
51,658

Match Stats

Home TeamMan CityAway TeamBrentford
Possession
Home76%
Away24%
Shots
Home15
Away6
Shots on Target
Home7
Away2
Corners
Home9
Away3
Fouls
Home7
Away13

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Manchester City 2, Brentford 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Manchester City 2, Brentford 0.

  3. Post update

    Offside, Brentford. Mathias Jensen tries a through ball, but Mads Roerslev is caught offside.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Raheem Sterling (Manchester City).

  5. Post update

    Ethan Pinnock (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  6. Post update

    Offside, Brentford. Christian Nørgaard tries a through ball, but Yoane Wissa is caught offside.

  7. Post update

    Offside, Brentford. Bryan Mbeumo tries a through ball, but Yoane Wissa is caught offside.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Raheem Sterling (Manchester City).

  9. Post update

    Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  10. Post update

    Offside, Brentford. Ethan Pinnock tries a through ball, but Yoane Wissa is caught offside.

  11. Post update

    Foul by Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City).

  12. Post update

    Pontus Jansson (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Post update

    Hand ball by Ethan Pinnock (Brentford).

  14. Post update

    Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Rodri.

  15. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Yoane Wissa (Brentford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Christian Nørgaard.

  16. Post update

    Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Rúben Dias.

  17. Post update

    Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Rico Henry.

  18. Post update

    Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by David Raya.

  19. Post update

    Attempt saved. Rodri (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

  20. Post update

    Attempt blocked. João Cancelo (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.

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As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Man City24193257144360
2Liverpool22146258193948
3Chelsea24138348183047
4West Ham24124842311140
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6Arsenal2111373325836
7Tottenham2111372827136
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14Brentford2465132640-1423
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16Everton2154122538-1319
17Newcastle2239102444-2018
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